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Who's Who

Who’s Who in the martial arts on USAdojo.com shares biographies and articles about the Founders, the Masters, the Pioneers, the Competitors and the “Stars” of the martial arts.

Chuck Merriman

Chuck Merriman: Goju-Ryu Karate

Chuck Merriman has served as Head Coach of the AAU National Karate Team and he is a member of the AAU national karate Coaches...

Tadashi Abe Aikido With Samurai Roots

Tadashi Abe was born in 1926 and began Aikido in 1942 under the direct supervision of O'Sensei for a period of nine years. He...

Steve Muhammad: Black Karate Federation

10th degree Black Belt, Grandmaster Steve Muhammad, is a co-founder of the Black Karate Federation and the organization’s first President. He is also one...

Jean Jacques Machado: Brazilian Jiu-jitsu

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Jean Jacques Machado is one of five brothers of the world-renown Machado Brazilian jiu-jitsu family. Jean Jacques Machado began his...
Keinosuke Enoeda

Keinosuke Enoeda: Shotokan Karate

Keinosuke Enoeda was born on July 4, 1935 in Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu, Japan. He was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate...

Herb Perez: Taekwondo

Herb Perez was born on December 6, 1969 to immigrant parents in New York City. In 1992, Herb Perez achieved his dream. He entered the...
Louis Casamassa

Louis Casamassa – Red Dragon Karate

Shi-Han Sensei Louis Casamassa, a 10th degree black belt is Grand Master of Red Dragon Karate and founder of the American Karate Kung Fu...
Reynardo Nikko Gutierrez

Reynardo “Nikko” Gutierrez: Nikko Sung Jitsu Ryu

Raised in Brooklyn East New York and realizing the need to acquire fighting skills due to street challenges. Kyoshi Reynardo "Nikko" Gutierrez in admiration...
Kenjutsu

Iso Aisu: Kenjutsu

Iso Aisu was a Japanese kenjutsu master and the founder of Aisu-kuge-ryu who was born in 1452 and died in 1538.
Bill Wallace

Bill Superfoot Wallace

All anyone in the martial arts has to say is “Superfoot” and instantly the image of Bill Superfoot Wallace emerges. This martial arts champion became...
J. Pat Burleson

Pat Burleson “Grandfather” of Open Tournament Fighting in America

Pat Burleson, acknowledged as the “grandfather” of open tournament fighting in America, having won numerous national titles before retiring from competition in 1966. Mr. Burleson...

Tadashi Yamashita: Shorin Ryu

Tadashi Yamashita was born in Japan in 1942, but he considers himself an Okinawan. His father died when he was three, and his mother...
Shojiro Sugiyama

Shojiro Sugiyama: Shotokan Karate

Shojiro Sugiyama was born on November 16, 1929. He was a Japanese karate instructor. In 1954, after training in two other styles of karate,...

Champion Parker Shelton Won’t Quit in the Fight For His Life

If you've lived in Fort Wayne for a while, you've probably heard the name Parker Shelton. Since the 1960s, the Pineville, Kentucky, native has...
Dick-Douglas Jr

Dick Douglas Jr Passed Away

Dick Douglas began teaching martial arts in 1966, and shared his love of martial arts with hundreds of students over the next 40 years,...
Gokor Chivichyan Logo

Gokor Chivichyan Judo

From the rubble of World War II there arose a legend about a great Armenian fighter who fought on the streets of Middle East...